194 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



Hab. Eastern North America, north to Labrador and the Fur 

 Countries, west to the Plains, and passing south; of the United States in 

 winter. 



Nest, a basket of twigs glued together and to the side of the chimney or 

 other support by the saliva of the bird. 



Eggs, 4 to 5 ; pure white. 



The Swift is a late comer, and while here seems ever 

 anxious to make up for lost time, being constantl}' on the wing, 

 darting about with great rapidit}/, sometimes high overhead, 

 sometimes skimming the surface of the pond, often so closely 

 as to be able to sip from the water as it passes over it, or snap 

 up the insects which hover on the surface. 



The original nesting place of the Swifts was in a hollow tree, 

 often of large diameter, and frequented year after year by a 

 great many of the birds, but novv^ they seem to prefer a city 

 chimney. There they roost -and fasten their curious basket 

 nest to the wall a few feet down, to be out of reach of the rays 

 of the sun. A fine exhibition of bird life it is to watch the 

 Swifts, in the evening about sunset, circling a few times round 

 the chimney, raising their wings above their backs and 

 dropping like shuttle-cocks down to their nest, nea rwhich the}' 

 spend the night clinging to the wall with their claws. The 

 sharp spines at the end of the tail feathers, pressed against the 

 surface, form their chief support. 



They arrive about the loth of Ma}-, and leave for the south 

 early in September. 



Suborder TROCHILI. Hummingbirds. 



Family TROCHILIDtE. Hummingbirds. 



Genus TROCHILUS Linn.eus. 



Subgenus TROCHILUS. 



\1H. TROCHILUS COLUBRIS Linn. 428. 



Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 



Male with the tail forked, its feathers all narrow and pointed ; no scales 

 on crown; metallic gorget reflecting ruby-red, etc. ; above golden green; 



